MPUSD Superintendent Shepherd leaving sooner than expected

Six weeks after announcing her retirement, the superintendent of the Monterey Peninsula Unified School District is seeking a leave of absence to attend to family matters.

Marilyn Shepherd, 56, announced Dec. 10 that she would retire at the end of the school year, news that surprised many in the education community because she still had three years on her contract.

On Monday, a pressing family issue kept her from attending the regular board meeting, board President Curt Parker said. Leslie Codianne, associate superintendent of student support services, stood in her place.

"We all have situations that happen that take priority," Parker said. Shepherd "was shaken up by what happened at home."

Parker did not elaborate on Shepherd's family situation, but said her leave is likely to begin immediately. She is not expected to return.

Parker wanted to announce Shepherd's request next Tuesday, when the board is scheduled to hold a special meeting to review applications from superintendent search firms. He decided to make the announcement Friday in the hope of squashing rumors that began spreading after Monday's meeting.

"She's talking to all of the staff, and we're going to have to decide what to do the rest of the year," Parker said.

Speculation has swirled around Shepherd's departure, with many believing she did not retire willingly. Some believed she was going to be paid for the rest of her contract, but Shepherd and board members said she would only be paid for time she has worked.

Herald reporters and editors have tried to substantiate some of the claims being made, but no credible information has surfaced.

The board already redelegated some of Shepherd's duties among top administrators Dan Albert, Judy Durand and Codianne in late December, Parker said, which may have led to some of the confusion.

When Shepherd attends a luncheon of California school administrators next month, she will participate in a retirement event in her honor, Parker said, and "I'm hoping we can squash these rumors."

When Shepherd spoke to The Herald in December, she said she had been thinking about making a career change for a while, and that after her husband retired it made sense for her to retire as well. She has an elderly mother and grandchildren in the Central Valley, and she wanted to do something different, she said.

"My mom's 86, a widow, we've been dealing with a few things. Maybe I can do something a little less stressful," she said at the time.

The board is scheduled to meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday to discuss search firms interested in helping the district find its new superintendent.